DOJ Activates Voter Protection Hotline

Attorney General Ellen Rosenblum is reminding Oregonians that the deadline to register to vote in the November 5th general election is 11:59 pm tonight, Tuesday, October 15. Oregonians who are unsure of their registration status can check their status via the Secretary of State’s website.

“Voting is both a duty and a right,” said AG Rosenblum. “We in Oregon are fortunate our vote-by-mail system is safe, secure, and convenient.”

Rosenblum also announced today that the Oregon Department of Justice has activated its Attorney General’s Voter Protection Hotline at 971-673-4111. The hotline, which is staffed by the Oregon DOJ, and runs until after the election, is there to help Oregon voters with non-emergency questions and any concerns they might have about the voting process.  Messages to the hotline are reviewed regularly, with most calls returned within 24 hours on weekdays and on Mondays following the weekend.

Rosenblum says voters should call the hotline if they suspect or have experienced any types of voter intimidation, at a voter drop box or elsewhere.

DOJ has also created a one-pager with information about the hotline and to ensure Oregonians understand how their right to vote is protected, and what types of actions and behaviors are prohibited by state law—such as harassing an election worker, obstructing a ballot drop-off place, or engaging in unlawful paramilitary activity.

Finally, if you wait until Election Day to vote, AG Rosenblum encourages those voters to take their ballot directly to the nearest US Post Office for mailing or to use an official ballot drop box (the Secretary of State has a drop-box locator, but check with your county elections office for the most up-to-date list of official sites near you). Your ballot must be received or postmarked by 8 p.m. on Election Day, Tuesday, November 5.